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The French defender is known for making an instant impact. While with Stade Rennais, which he joined at 13 and remained with for a decade before moving in the summer to the Premier League side, his first appearance saw him enter as a replacement against Monaco. The fixture culminated with him delivering a cross with a wicked left-footed delivery and then netting in stoppage time. When he was only 18, Truffert sent a shot beneath the keeper, who is set to play Bournemouth with his current club. “I dashed off in joy and dropped to my knees,” Truffert says, “as you imagine doing as a child after getting your inaugural strike.”

A Flawless Opening in England's top flight

The defender has shone for Bournemouth from the outset, beginning with a confident display at Anfield where he contained Mohamed Salah. On that occasion, he also surpassed his predecessor and has featured in all minutes in the Premier League this season.

“We know we lost,” he says of that match, “thus it wasn't flawless, but I think we put in a strong performance. It was exhilarating because it was my first game and it was a very good night. We have started positively, but now we need to continue and get a result in the upcoming match.”

The Formula to Adapting

Considering Truffert explain his switch to the south coast, the initial move of his professional life, it is understandable he has slotted in so seamlessly. Backroom personnel refer to an intelligent individual and he is clearly sharp. He knew the advantages of signing in June, to settle during the preparatory period, and has spent the past two years having English lessons, knowing how valuable they would become if he fulfilled his goal of reaching the Premier League.

“That’s why I can communicate in English,” says the full-back, a underplayed comment given this first major interview is conducted completely in English. “I think it is important to do something outside of football, to shift your perspective and consider other aspects of life.” Upon hearing that this speaks volumes of his nature, he avoids taking credit. “Maybe, but it was my family who told me it was important.”

Early Years

His relatives, including his junior sibling Florian, a engine room operator at his former club, were part of his entourage when he signed. Maybe it was destiny. Not only because Bournemouth had acquired a player they long admired but because Truffert had lived in the town as a infant. He was from Liège, Belgium, but when he was six months old, his mother and father moved to Southampton due to his father's work as a laboratory director. They remained for 24 months in the area.

“My dad says that I took my first steps on Bournemouth beach,” Truffert reveals. “Following that period, we headed home to Belgium for half a year and then transferred to France.”

International Honors

He made his debut once by Didier Deschamps's side, in 2022, and the previous year he was in the France team that finished second at the Olympics, the honor granting him a Chevalier d'honneur. “I have the certificate to show I have the knighthood,” he declares, beaming with pride. His colleagues in the squad included several prominent figures, some of whom he also played with at Rennes. His head coach also was his hero.

“The French legend, a top French players,” Truffert explains. “When I was a youth I played as a left and sometimes right winger, so this is the reason I idolized him. When I was about 17 or 18 I transitioned to defender. At the Olympics I played primarily in defense, so Gaël Clichy was my main point of contact, but when it was a group talk he [Henry] taught me a lot. His football brain was amazing, you could sense his know-how and he aimed to impart it to us.”

Style of Play

Truffert was identified as an suitable candidate for the manager's philosophy, which is built on relentless pressure. “When you display higher energy than your opponent, I think it’s the optimal approach to win,” Truffert states. “You have to do other things, of course, but if you start by securing more individual battles than your foe, you have a far greater opportunity to win. We cover a lot of ground because everybody wants to attack, but each also desires to defend.

“For us it’s not just the backline that defends and attackers who attack. It’s everybody together. We like to do everything together on the pitch – and this is the optimal method to win.”

Captaincy and Know-How

He held the armband at Rennes the previous campaign and at Bournemouth he sets the standard; he practices as he performs and is seen as a manager’s dream. He is also very knowledgeable for his age with in excess of 200 career appearances and has featured in the UCL, UEFA's secondary tournament and third-tier European competition. In a recent campaign, his old team won both matches over a star-studded Parisian side. The English division, he says, was the subsequent natural move.

He sought advice from friends and former teammates, including a prominent winger. “I think he’s among the finest individual talents I’ve witnessed. Another global star was also tough to play against and you gain valuable experience against individuals of this caliber because they can flip a game,” Truffert notes. “Now at his current club, he plays more on the left, but when he was at our former club he was often on the right so I had to face him a lot in training.

“It was beneficial for my development to level up. He advised me the energy is distinctly higher to the French league. In France, it is perhaps more strategic – here all fixtures you have to run a lot, with little respite.”

Personal Time

The periods of rest Truffert has had since relocating to permanent accommodation last month has allowed him to explore the region with his wife and their canine companion. “We like to {walk around the town|stroll through the area|expl